Find out how popular the last name Cahoon is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Cahoon.

Cahoon, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Cahoon surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Cahoon in America

Cahoon is the 6918th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Cahoon surname appeared 4,849 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 2 people would have the surname Cahoon.

We can also compare 2010 data for Cahoon to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Cahoon

The surname Cahoon has its origins in Ireland and is believed to have originated from the Gaelic word "cathún," which means "little cat." This moniker was likely bestowed upon someone who possessed feline-like characteristics or had an affinity for cats.

The earliest known record of the name Cahoon dates back to the 16th century in County Antrim, Ireland. It is believed that the name may have been anglicized from the Irish Gaelic spelling "Ó Catháin" or "Mac Catháin," meaning "descendant of Cathán."

One of the earliest documented references to the name can be found in the Annals of Ulster, an ancient chronicle that recorded events in Ireland from the 5th to the 16th century. The annals mention a Niall Ó Catháin, who was a prominent chieftain in the 14th century.

In the 17th century, during the plantation of Ulster, many Irish families with the surname Cahoon were displaced and forced to migrate to other parts of Ireland, as well as to Scotland and the American colonies.

One notable bearer of the Cahoon name was Robert Cahoon (1750-1838), an American Revolutionary War soldier from Virginia. He fought in several key battles, including the Battle of Brandywine and the Battle of Monmouth.

Another prominent figure was Daniel Cahoon (1766-1848), a sea captain from Massachusetts who played a crucial role in the War of 1812. He commanded several privateers and captured numerous British ships during the conflict.

In the realm of literature, Mary Cahoon (1833-1911) was a renowned American poet and writer from Vermont. Her works often focused on rural life and the natural beauty of her home state.

The name Cahoon has also been associated with various place names, such as Cahoon Hollow in New York and Cahoon Memorial Park in Ohio, which were named after early settlers or landowners bearing the surname.

Furthermore, variations of the name, such as Cahoon, Cahoon, and Cahoun, can be found throughout historical records, reflecting the evolution and adaptation of the name across different regions and cultures.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Cahoon

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Cahoon.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Cahoon was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Cahoon has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Cahoon was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Cahoon, please contact us.

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